My cat saved my life

One Sunday morning, Kitty sat by the sliding glass door to the patio, waiting for the doorman (me) to open it, so she could go play. When I didn’t come instantly, she began meowing her “Hurry up! Can’t you see I’m waiting for you?” meow. I tried to stall her because letting her out meant I’d have to “babysit” her, and I had groceries to put away.

Although the patio was enclosed by a six-foot fence, sometimes stray cats had jumped over it and tried to attack Kitty. Kitty, a declawed indoor cat with no fighting experience, needed me — her protector.

I wanted Kitty to be happy, but I had other things to do besides watch her play in the sun. As a compromise, I’d watch her for a while, go do a quick chore elsewhere, check on her, go do another little chore and so forth.

I’d leave the patio door open, just in case an animal came into the patio while my back was turned and Kitty needed to run inside and hide.

Rarely did I leave Kitty alone for more than three or four minutes at a time. Little did I realize that it only takes that long for someone to quietly unlock the fence door, slip through the open sliding door and sneak into the house.

That Sunday, I didn’t feel like letting my cat rule my life. But Kitty was 17. She wouldn’t be with me much longer, so I gave in to her. I was watching Kitty chase a bug when I remembered I needed something from upstairs and galloped up the steps to get it. Within minutes, Kitty came galloping up the steps, too.

I’d never seen Kitty run so fast, not even when she was a kitten. Now that she was older, crippled by arthritis and weakened by her heart, thyroid, and kidney problems and by her recent radiation therapy, her movements were usually slow and labored.
Kitty began circling around my feet making eerie sounds. “What’s going on?” I wondered. When Kitty was afraid, she’d usually go hide in the nearest closet. But now she had run up the steps like a wild woman, and she’d never run in circles around me or made the kinds of sounds she was making.

She hissed and growled, and there was another element howling combined with moans that seemed to emerge from the core of her 11-pound body. Within seconds, their message — “Danger. There’s evil in the house,” penetrated every pore of my body.

I ran down the stairs to check if indeed there was evil in the house and saw a quite unfriendly looking man in my kitchen. I began screaming. I didn’t decide to scream. The screams just came out, each one louder than the next, and the man fled.

The police came in minutes. My description of the intruder matched that of a serial rapist whom the police had been trying to catch for quite some time. “You’re lucky,” one of them said. “If your cat hadn’t tipped you off, that man could have snuck into your house, hidden somewhere and come up behind you. You’d have been caught off guard, and he could have done whatever he wanted with you. Even killed you.”

“But because the cat alerted you, you were aware and able to be on the offensive,” the police officer added. “The intruder didn’t expect you to come down looking for him, and, luckily, your screams scared him off. Whatever you paid to get that cat, it was worth it.”

I hadn’t paid a dime for Kitty. My daughter had seen her at a shelter and fallen in love with her. Over the years, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Kitty and was often called a fool for doing so. But I wasn’t a fool at all. I helped save Kitty’s life and, in return, she helped save mine.

After this incident, more lights were installed in the neighborhood and other safety measures were adopted. So perhaps Kitty helped others as well.

Dr. Aphrodite Matsakis has worked as a counseling psychologist for 25 years and authored over 12 books as well as numerous articles on an array of psychological topics. She is also the author of a book and numerous articles on the Greek-American experience and the psychological significance of myth.

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Dex Baldon

Awesome story! Kitty is a hero!

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

Indeed! :-)

Erika Wexler

I love hearing stories like this. While my aunt was in college she had a cat named Catnip. One night she awoke to Catnip meowing like crazy and jumping on top of her. She kept shooing him off because she was trying to sleep but he wouldn’t give up. After a couple minutes she woke up and came to her senses. She smelled smoke. She ran out into the kitchen to see that the toaster had not been turned off the night before and set her kitchen on fire. Luckily the cat woke her up and she was able to get out of the house without any harm to herself or Catnip.

Incredible and touching. I’m glad Kitty was there for you. Years ago, when I got locked out of my house, my cat, Gigolo, helped me break in. I wouldn’t have gotten back in without him!
So glad you are safe.

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

:-)

http://www.thecreativecat.net/ Bernadette

Truly amazing that Kitty thought of her human’s safety over her own!

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

It’s a wonderful story, isn’t it Bernadette? :-)

Tanya Del Angel

Thank you for sharing this amazing story. <3

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

My pleasure, Tanya! Thanks for stopping by!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=530401628 Layla Morgan Wilde

Loved this as an intuitive cat behaviorist. Cats are our every day heroes. They constantly communicate with us everyday but not always as dramatically as this! Tweeted.

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

Thank you, Layla, for sharing the story! Aren’t they fantastic? :-)

http://www.facebook.com/marise.caetano Marise Caetano

What a great story, Daniela. There are some many great stories about our babies saving people from fire, house breaks and the likes. They are furry angels!

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

They are! And it’s great that they use their enhanced senses to alerts us to things we can’t grasp… :-)

susan steele loughnane

The fact she was in tune to her cat’s “habits and ways” was also a factor in the outcome. Many people have animals and don’t take the time to pay attention to the messages they send us.

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

I totally agree, Susan. It’s very important to be aware of your pets’habits to be able to understand their messages fully. And it’s such a pleasure to be that connected with them. :-)

Dottie L.

Very interesting and touching story. Many pets have been credted with deeds of valor and protection. My 9 year old rescue lady kitty alerts me (I live alone most of the time) when anyhone is coming to both the front or the back door. She gets biggy eyes, ears forward, nose high. I know this signal and usually peek out a window just in case! Several times now there has been a stranger at a door (delivery man usually). Thanks for thgis post, it is important.

http://www.taildom.com/ Daniela Caride

You are lucky to have your lady kitty with you, Dottie! My animals are such a blessing in my life. Here Lola my Saint Bernard alerts me when strangers approach. :-)